The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-03-26
EXPENSIVE LEGISLATION.



Mat II costs TO keep Congress In running order.
The legislative, executive, and jul
licial appropriation bill, now on tho
house calendar, aggregates 500, 1885,
OIL. This amount is S41S, $40 be-
low the sum appropriated for the
current fiscal year and $SS6,020 be-
low the estimate of the secretary Of
the treasury. 1t is usual for the COM
mireee on appropriations in prepar-
ing their bills to take into cousidera-
ton thefact that many ofthe amounts
reported will be increased by the house
and many Others by the senate. Act
ing upon this theory, the committee
reduce some OF the amounts present
ed in the estimates in the full belief
that the figures reported by them
will be raised Judging from preyi-
ons experience, it is risking little that
the pending bill will be increased in
amount Mt least S1,0O0,000 by the
time the senate completes il.
An examination OF the expenses Oh
the senate and house reveals n few
interesting facts. The total amount
appropriated for the senate is
$500, 800, which does not include Sal
OOOasked for to pay privatesecretaries
to senators who are not chairmen OF
committees, and which amount the
senate will certainly add. The salaries
OF rs senator's amounts to S3SO,000.
To wait upon these 76 senators the
services of 216 officers and employees
are required, at an annual cost OF
$500, $50. These figures show that
the services of three attendants are
necessary to each senator, the
average annual pay of the attendants
being 81 1871. The attendants are
employed not more than 10 months
Of the "a months including session
OF congress, which would give each of
them a salary OF S27S per month for
the time actually employed
To pay salaries to 325 representa-
lives and eight delegates 81 ,695, 900
is required and to pay 304 officers
and employees, $3SS,1I3. The differ
ance between these figures and those
the aggregate required to
pay senate officials is worthy OF no.
tice, as it will explain in some measure
the annual squabble between the two
branches on this question The aver
age paid the house officials is S1,244
per annum, which is STAT less than
that paid by the senate. The senate
'orce is equal to three attendants to
each senator, while that OF the house
is less than one for each member.
"a mil Of TO-
300 per annum; that OF representa-
lives S110,624. The senate mileage
divided per capita would give every
senator over $434, sum sufficient to
furnish each of them with frst-class
passage from San Francisco to Lon J
Ion or Paris. The house mileage |
oots up S110,624 which is equiva-
ent to S333.20 per capita. The allow. |
1nce per mile is 20 cents each way. At
.he last session the mileage of officers |
Of the army and navy. when travelling
under orders, was fixed at 8 cents per
nile. At the present session, in the
,undry civil bill, this allowance was
liked at actual expenses, exclusive OF
sleeping and parlor charges and 4
'ents per mile. Able arguments were
made in the house to show that this
allowance was ample. Ii ample to
over the travelling expenses ofall 9th
II government officials, why not APP
bly, it to members OF congress? Here
S a good opportunity to save $751;
200 per annum.
For contingent expenses the bill pro-
rides for the senate $50, $50, and for
he house S113,937. These sums, di-
'ided per capita, would give each sena-
Oh from the contingent fund 1921,
md each representative $342. Sum-
the incidental expense of
exclusive OF their annu-
VI salary oil $1,000, each senator
osts the government to provide HIM
With attendance over $5,307 per an
lum, and the cost of each representa-
i've and delegate is 81, $40. The sen
ties total for personal attendance is
'40S, 379; that of the house S612,.
i74.-New York Times.